


Arranged

by Ayame_Ryuukaru



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Anakin Skywalker acting like a ghost, Arranged Marriage, Awkward Arranged Marriage, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Kylo Ren, Awkward Sexual Situations, Enemies to Friends, F/M, Force Training, Kylo Ren Has Issues, Kylo Ren really is not ready for marriage, Manipulative Sheev Palpatine, Marital Fights, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reader is so done, Reader tends to attract trouble, Sassy Reader, Seduction to the Dark Side, The Dark Side of the Force
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-03-26 16:50:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19009855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ayame_Ryuukaru/pseuds/Ayame_Ryuukaru
Summary: Being forced into a marriage was not want you wanted, hell, being stuck on a Destroyer with your new husband was definitely a curve you were not expecting. Maybe you can work through this, but wait, is THE Kylo Ren blushing?





	1. Chapter 1

**_Chapter One: The Wedding_ **

* * *

 

The wedding had literally been five minutes. Tossing your hair over your shoulder, you crossed both your arms and legs as you stared out of the cockpit. When your father said that you were to be married, you had hoped it would be someone who showed an increment of emotion, not a stoic individual who was currently glaring out the cockpit windows next to you.

It all started four days ago when you returned from a hunting expedition on your planet. You were already walking to your father’s study when his manservant came running over to you, ushering you to see your father, rather urgently. Your father merely ushered you to sit in a chair across from him. You had noticed that he looked like he had aged drastically, grey hair, tired and sad eyes.

“Papa? What’s going on?” You had asked, timidly.

“My sweet little girl, I wanted nothing more than for you to live a happy and full life here, but right now, you are the one who can redeem this old man’s failures.” Your father brushed a hand over his face as he slumped against his chair.

You had found out that during the fight between the Rebels and Empire; your grandfather had given sanctuary for hundreds of rebels while lying the Empire. While this might not seem like a terribly bad thing for the time, you knew the implications that could happen if the First Order were to find out, since their need to seem righteous and vindication in their mission against the Resistance. Shifting your weight in your seat, you let your mind turned back to that meeting with your father, but you were also conscious about the man sitting next to you since you knew he had the ability to pick up on thoughts.

After your father had finished telling you of the reason why you were forced to wed, he told you of how he was going to protect the planet and stop any destruction that might come from the Order. He had arranged a meeting from the General of the First Order, Hucks-Hux or something, from there; Supreme Leader Snoke spoke with your father and they had agreed that a marriage between you and the Commander, Kylo Ren, would be a great union in order to facilitate the protection of your home planet.

Not even a day later, your fiancé came swaggering down the ramp of his personal ship, straight to your father, who tried his best not shrink under the scrutiny of the Commander. You, however, stood at the top of the stairs merely watching the exchange. Your hands were clasped in front of you as your hair blew softly in the wind. Your entire figure was dressed in a soft blue gown covered in black flowers. Around the ends of the flowers, around the neck, shoulders and the bottoms of the dress, was completely decorated in gold trimmings. From your place, you could see that his attention was instantly drawn to you when you brought a hand up to remove a wayward lock of hair from your eyes.

The wedding itself wasn’t bad, it was fully decorated in many different colors of roses and held only your father, his top advisors and your former milk-maiden. Your dress had been a lightly sheer red dress that was adorned with black flowers in your hair. Your make up was silver eyeshadow blended into a dark grey. Your eyeliner was black and it ended in perfect, flawless wings. Your shoes were black flats in order to complete the outfit, but it was the look of determination that brought everyone’s attention. Your father couldn’t have been prouder, despite his worry upon your new life.

You now sat next to your new husband, clad in black pants with a shimmering silver top that had red flowers embroidered in them. You had opted out of flats for high heels mainly for the case of showing how you had power and you were not going to be complacent in this marriage.

Rolling your eyes, you lightly twirled a lock of your hair. You weren’t completely worried about the current moment, but you were worried about as soon as you were to step foot on the Star Destroyer. You knew you had to plan ahead and find a route that could lead you into safety but also how to navigate your new life.

“Do you ever stop thinking?” You merely turned your head to look at Ren who was scowling darkly.

“I was bred for political relations, as most people in my family have done for years.” Ren merely scoffed at your words. “So, an answer to your question, no, I don’t stop thinking.”

“Then think less. Your inner musings are disrupting my concentration.” That drew an eyebrow raise from you.

As if he knew you were looking at him, he turned his head over to you meeting your eyes with a dark look. You couldn’t help but smirk softly before he whipped his head back to the windows, a faint flush across his face. That was interesting. Settling completely against the seat, you continued twirling your hair as you felt your smirk turn slightly more deadly, oh this is going to be fun.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You couldn't help but snark at him. Men, not understanding a woman.  
> Seriously, this is not easy for him, headstrong women.

_**Chapter Two: The Tension** _

* * *

 

You must have dozed off sometime later because you were jostled when the ship landed. Opening your eyes, you noticed that whatever or wherever you landed was insanely bright, hurting your eyes. Squinting, you turned to your husband who was already in the process of powering off the ship. Unbuckling the belt, you uncrossed your legs which were slightly tense from being in the same position for so long.

“Hux is already outside waiting for us. Ignore whatever spills from his lips. He is an aristocratic idiot.” Sensing a little hostility towards this ‘Hux’, you nodded as you moved to stand in order to grab your cloak in order for you to wrap it around your shoulders.

“If he is an aristocrat, what does that make me?” You called innocently while making sure you looked presentable.

“My wife.” He sassed right back.

You felt a small smile appear at that. That was slightly unexpected but it was funny he would choose those words overstating that you too were of the upper class.

“Leave your bags. The droids will bring them.” He easily walked by you as he too began to dig around for whatever he was looking for.

“Correction, bag.” You said to him while you fixed the belt that was settled around your middle.

“Must you have the last say in everything?” You flicked your hair over your shoulder while smoothing down your shirt, purposely dragging your fingers over your chest.

“Depends on the conversation and context.” Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Kylo whip his head back to face the closet.

You had to bite off a laugh at his flustered expression. You really shouldn’t tease this man; he could kill you without hesitation.

He descended down the ramp first but waited for you to follow before he continued his path downwards. You couldn’t help but squint into the bright area around you as all of your senses were being bombarded with the new environment.

“You are late, Ren.” You turned your attention to a man wearing a black uniform with bright red hair.

A tingle of annoyance swept through you so strongly that even your new husband stopped to turn and look at you with clear amusement written into his dark brown eyes.

“That would be my fault, General Hux. Leaving sentimentality and all with my father.” You have never seen a man straighten himself so quickly and trying to cover his blunder so quick in your life.

“My sincerest apologies, My Lady. I did not mean to insinuate that the late arrival was your fault.” Your eyebrow rose at him. Ass-kisser, you thought bitterly, making Ren snort.

“Of course, you didn’t, General. I hate to intrude in whatever has to take my husband away from me, but I would like to retire, for the time being, space travel does not agree with me well.” You hoped that by stressing your own personal needs, you could escape the situation with Hux before you slapped him in the face with one of your heels or worse.

“This way,” Ren said to you as he started a brisk pace that you easily followed, leaving behind an extremely flustered Hux behind you.

“I can see why you said to ignore whatever he said.” You said in a low tone to Ren who ushered you inside a lift.

“He is an idiot, though I am surprised at your animosity.” You crossed your arms underneath your chest.

“I have met people like him from a young age. I don’t particularly like his kind. They irritate me to the point my shoes will make an appearance on their faces.” A suspicious noise, something close to a laugh came from your left side.

The two of you were silent for the remainder of your ride in the lift, but your stomach was suddenly churning, reminding you that you were indeed not fully settled from space flight. You desperately hoped whatever food that didn’t digest didn't make an appearance on the floor in front of you.

Ren looked at you from the corner of his eye. He could see how your pallor suddenly changes from a pleasant pale/tan to almost a sickly white. With a push from the Force, he overheard your thoughts.

‘I sincerely hope we get to wherever soon. I’d hate the stain this floor.’ For whatever reason that made him stiffen. Obviously, space travel was not agreeing with you, and you were feeling the first-time effects he had and could remember flying.

He lightly placed a hand on your lower back and began to rub the small of the area in circular motions. At first, you had tensed but your entire body ended up relaxing into his palm. Your thoughts went from a barely controlled mantra of not vomiting to ease, as the normal complexion finally returned. You didn’t say anything other than lightly meld into his hand.

By the time the lift made its ding that you were finally in control of your stomach. You had been blindsided by Ren’s concern over your health, but whatever he had done, really had helped. Even with his hand still on your lower back, he guided you out of the lift, despite your heel catching on the space between the door and floor. You pitched forward, nearly face-planting onto the steel flooring if he had not caught you around your waist. Leaning heavily against his chest, you felt his arm tight against you.

“I’m sorry.” You whispered softly.

“Perhaps other shoes would be best for travel aboard the ship.” You stifled a laugh as you stood up.

“And give up whatever height I can gain from them? No thank you, power comes from the feet, I refuse to let go what I have in order to not meet the steel with my face.” Your words made the man audibly sigh.

“You have nothing to prove to others on this ship.” He actually stepped back as your anger wrapped around you like a protective shield.

“For a man that is easy for you to say. As a woman, I have to constantly prove who I am and what I am capable of handling whatever is thrown at me.” Ren’s eyebrow rose as he felt the Force take a distinct shift as if it was agreeing with you.

“I am not arguing this in the hallway. Hurry up or you will have to find the room on your own.” He stepped around you forcing you to nearly run after him.

Whatever gentleness that had been between you two was gone in an instant. He had no clue what it was like being a woman in a male-dominated society. As it is, even your own father and his advisors tried to drill in your head that it was better and safer for you to be complacent and docile. Yet you rebelled against them in a show that a woman could be a powerful force to be reckoned with.

True to his word, a droid did bring your belongings to the room. While you were still extremely annoyed with Ren and his careless words, you also understood what he was saying. Heels could cause you more harm than a show for power, but you were willing to sacrifice your personal safety in order to keep your image intact.

Walking away from the still glaring man, you went to the bedroom, which your bag was sitting on top of the covers. With careful actions, you easily began to take out what you had brought with you.

“I have a meeting, if you need food or any other assistance, there is a datapad that you can use,” Ren announced before whisking himself out of the room and leaving you alone to your own devices.

After making sure he was truly gone, you actually took a look of your surroundings. The walls were a light gray and the flooring was black, a complete contrast to right outside in the hallways. The couch and armchairs were also black, but the coffee table was white and silver. Moving from the apparent living room area, you noticed there was a small kitchen complete with a stove, refrigerator and plenty of counter space, a data pad sitting near the end of the counter. Turning back to the living room, you saw two doors, one leading to the bedroom and another that was closed and the keypad was red, thus meaning it was locked. Shrugging you went back the bedroom and felt yourself give a heavy but trembling sigh. You knew you had to make this ‘marriage’ work, no matter what it takes.

Ren finally entered ~~his~~ their room after who knows how long. These stupid meetings were getting longer and longer. As he entered, he noticed that nothing was out of place or even moved. He, at first thought, you would have moved things around to your liking but apparently not. Looking over to the locked door, he saw that it remained locked, at least you didn’t try to break in. Going to the only other room, the bedroom, he found you completely curled underneath the covers, only your hair was visible. That was shocking to him. He expected you to be up and ready to fight him, especially on your view of proving yourself.

Scanning around him, he saw the only thing that was even on the right night table was a necklace. Other than that, nothing was amiss or even strewn. Granted he had made sure to give you room in the closet, he had wondered if you were going to leave at least something out. Backing back out of the room, he easily hit the button which closed the doors so you could sleep. Going to the datapad, he noticed that too wasn’t even used. Giving a harsh sigh, he quickly sent for something from the kitchen to be sent up in the next two hours, hopefully in that time you would awake and at least eat something. Ren easily went to the locked door and entered it, he needed guidance on how to hand such a stubborn wife, something his grandfather, as well as his own father, knew how to deal with.

The smell of food made you crinkle your nose. You knew you didn’t order anything, that must mean Ren did, and he was back from his meeting. Rolling onto your stomach, you tried to quell nausea that was creeping up your throat.

“You need to eat something. It’ll help.” You sat up with some mild difficulty since the bed was not only comfortable but also stabilizing your equilibrium. “You’ve never flown before have you?”

Irritation climbed from between your shoulder blades and into your scalp. “No, I haven’t.” You said slightly bitterly.

“Eat, then rest some more, what your feeling goes away after a while.” He said before walking away.

Rolling your neck, you ran a hand through your hair. Just sitting up made your stomach roll and the thought of standing was not helping. Reaching out, you took your necklace, your mother’s necklace and put it on, praying for the strength not to ruin the carpet. Walking wasn’t as bad as you thought but you did still feel wobbly as you sat in one of the armchairs. You saw that he had ordered some meats, a soup, and some fruits, all of which you noticed was to be easier on the stomach than what you originally had smelt.

Ren went back to his datapad as you easily took a bowl of soup to eat. He knew that it would be easier, and he had extra ordered in case your hunger was to surface after nausea was to go away. The two of you didn’t speak as you slowly consumed the soup, despite its slightly bland taste. Kylo merely went through each message and either gave his input or just delete the message if it had nothing to do with him. Being away for a day severely damaged his inbox and it was showing.

A loud beep from the door startled you both. You nearly dropped the bowl but managed to recover, but your spoon had splashed into the hot liquid, which led you to become doused by the scorching soup. Kylo glared at the door for not only interrupting the silence but effectively almost causing a catastrophic event in their quarters. Not wanting to stick around for any yelling, you placed your bowl on the table and moved to the bedroom to put on a new shirt that wasn’t ruined. You could hear murmurs from the living room as you removed the silver top, you heard a growl that made you freeze.

“If you had stayed for the remainder of the meeting, you would have known that the Resistance was spotted near the Inner-Rim.” You realized that was Hux’s voice.

“I already knew that from my master.” Ren was practically seething at this point.

“Were you aware that they destroyed two of our bases?” Hux gritted out.

Feeling your stomach actually rumble with hunger, you looked upwards before basically walking out of the bedroom to retrieve your bowl. Both men stopped in their arguing to watch as you leaned forward, completely innocently this time, and picked up the dish.

“Don’t stop on my account.” You threw over your shoulder before disappearing back into the bedroom and closing the door behind you.

It took exactly twenty-six seconds before the two continued their argument. You could hear that the destruction of these bases not only hindered the mining and refining process but there was also a destroyed farming facility on one of those bases. After a few moments of strained and growled voices, silence permeated throughout the rooms.

Finishing the bowl, you opened the door and effectively walked right into Ren’s chest. Before you could even stumble backward, he caught your arm, steadying you. Without even uttering a word, he walked around you into the bedroom.

“I will have to leave shortly.” He grumbled out.

“No doubt to fix whatever happened?” You called after him.

“Indeed. The data pad is more than for food. I approved clearance for you if you wish to look up or study anything.” You hummed softly before placing the bowl on the platter and gently picking up an orange.

“Am I to play nice with Hux while you are away?” You could hear his snort from where you were sitting.

“If you do not wish to deal with him, you do not have to. But stay away from the fourth floor unless you wish to be forced into conversation with battle techniques and weapon usage.”

“I’ll make a note of that.” You began to tear apart the skin of the fruit while making a mental checklist of things to look for, avoid as well as investigate while he was gone. “I know you do not wish for my input, but one of these bases, are they part of the First Order’s alliances?”

“One of them, yes. Why?” Kylo asked in question as he gathered a few items into a bag.

“That means that there has to be a negation between the Order and them, correct? What of their leaders, male, female or some sort of a mix of the two?” You lightly sucked on the orange, feeling the fruit's flavor explode in your mouth.

“I did not know you were an ambassador.” You rolled your eyes.

“I’m not, I am merely asking in case I need to find a place to hide or if I have to sit with them, your wife and all.” That made the man pause.

“I’ll send Hux a message to include you in those talks.” The dark knight quickly through in a few more items before lifting the bag to his shoulder.

“In that case, enjoy your hunt.” You watched his back tense for a second before he walked right out of the main door, leaving you alone.

Your eyes scanned the room to see the datapad he had left you sitting on the counter, like where it had been earlier. Time for a little investigation into what happened between the Order and the Resistance. Relaxing on the couch, you nibbled on the orange as you began to flip through files.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now the plot finally kicks in. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!


	3. The Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why were women so flustering?  
> Why the hell is there a haunting in space?

_**Chapter Three: The Reunion** _

* * *

 

__

Stretching out your legs, you heard a lot of little pops and cracks. Ren had left a little longer than three hours ago for his mission to the bases that were destroyed, and you had just clued yourself into the destruction of those areas and the workers both First Order and Natives that had perished. You even had done some basic background check on the rulers of those two specific areas and you found out that the moon that housed the refinery was under the rule of a single female monarch and the other base was under the control of a joint monarchy, male and female.

Sitting down the data pad, you easily sat up from the couch. Despite only have eaten a few hours ago, your stomach was absolutely growling at you. A soft smile appeared on your face as you realized the Ren had been right, a little rest and actually having food in your stomach did an absolute wonder for you. Standing, you went through to couch where the droid had moved any of the food that hadn’t been eaten. Taking out the soup, you made yourself a bowl as well as grabbing some of the meat. That was another reason why you were so hungry, you needed protein.

Hearing the microwave beep as it ended, which signaled that its cycle was over, you moved back over to it and collected your meal. Leaning against the counter, you ate your meal. Your thoughts drifted to your currently absent husband. You felt a little bad for how you not only treated him but also how you attacked him, verbally. He did not deserve your ire. Tapping your lips with your spoon, you quickly racked your mind for anything sort of information he might have let slip that you could either find a gift for him or at least show your remorse due to your uncalled-for actions. While nothing came to mind at the current moment, you knew that just climbing into bed with him and letting him have his way with you would not really be appreciated, much. The tension as too strong between you two and the thought of offering your body could make it worse between you both.

Rolling your eyes at your thoughts, you quickly washed your mess and put it all away where you had found the utensils and bowl. Just as you walked past the locked room, you froze as you heard the keypad unlock and the doors slide open. Turning your head, you saw into the room. One a stand sat a helm that was very heavily damaged. A soft whisper began to drift to you. Fear completely filed you as you snatched the data pad and fled to the bedroom, hand slamming onto the keypad to close the door.

Stepping back away from the door, you could hear the other room’s door close and the keypad beep, signaling it was now locked. The back of your calves hit the bed, making you sink onto the plush padding. What the ever-loving hell was that?

Three days later, Kylo entered their room, tired and sore beyond compare. From what Hux’s message described, the Knight’s spitfire wife took it upon herself to smooth negotiations between all the monarchs and the First Order. For whatever reason, due to Hux being vague, all leaders, male and female were instantly smitten and were in agreement with his wife and any ruffled feathers were smoothed. A fete that even their best ambassadors could not do.

Looking around the room, Kylo saw the datapad he had lent her on the table. It was next to a basket full of fruit. Seeing a not, Kylo saw that it was a ‘Thank You’ basket from the dual monarchs. She must have really pleased them.

Placing the note back into the basket, Kylo went to the bedroom. Yet again nothing has been amiss. The bed was made, the closet was closed and even the bathroom was clear of any stray bottles or towels. Going back to the closet, he grabbed a pair of training pants and a long-sleeved shirt to change into after his shower.

Walking through the threshold, you swept your hair over your shoulder. Today had been productive. You had accomplished a greater provision line from the planet of Balmoora. Despite not needing the droids that the planet could offer, the agreement switched to other iron goods that the planet was known to produce. Despite a rather negative start between you and the Balmoorian delegates, the planet was now in a full alliance with the Order, and the first shipment was due to arrive in two weeks’ time, making Hux very happy. Seeing a note on the basket, you smiled, yet another victory. Taking a very delicious looking purple fruit, the sweet scent it let lose made your mouth water. You walked over to the kitchen to clean and cut up the exotic fruit.

“You seemed to have accomplished something most people could not do.” Gasping, you stepped back from the kitchen sink to see your husband towel drying his hair and walking over to the basket.

“I didn’t know you were back.” You placed a hand over your heart that was beating very fast.

“I just got in,” Kylo said as he levitated a red fruit into his palm.

“I guess that is why Hux all but commanded me out of the communication chamber.” You turned back to the sink to continue washing your fruit, but you stilled when Kylo’s joined yours under the water.

“He did not order you to help did he?” You quickly but efficiently cleaned his fruit then yours.

“No, he didn’t ‘order’ me.” You dried them before turning around again. “The monarchy, the King and Queen, are more for their people and the citizen’s wellbeing than political and military might.” You said as you watched as the red fruit, an apple maybe, sailed through the air and into Kylo’s open palm. “I just offered my services since my own planet and theirs had similar in the regards of agriculture.”

Taking your own goodie to the cutting board, you started to slice off the hard exterior. Kylo looked away from you as he noticed how content you were at the moment. His eyes flicked back over to his grandfather’s shrine. He froze when he noticed the keypad was green, unlocked.

“Did you go into that room?” Looking up, you saw the room Kylo mentioned.

“Once, but only because the room unlocked itself.” You met his eyes for a brief second before going back to your original task.

Kylo could tell you were not lying, but he could tell that your previous calm mood had switched to guarded and tense. Walking over, he punched in the code to lock it but just as it chimed that it was locked, it immediately unlocked. That was weird.

“I didn’t mess with anything, but I am, in honesty, nervous. The door opens by itself when I walk by it.” You placed your cut fruit into a bowl to take with you after you had cleaned up the kitchen.

“You have nothing to fear from what is in there.” Your eyes met his once again, but it was your turn to blush. Looking away, you grabbed your bowl and headed to the bedroom.

As you had described, the door leading to the shrine opened as you neared it. Kylo’s eyebrows knotted together as he noticed a faint whispering that vanished as you left the area. The door slammed shut and locked itself, making you jump.

“It’s never done that before.” He saw the fear that was in your eyes.

“You still have nothing to fear.” As much as you wanted to believe him, you were really shaken by what just happened.

Kylo watched as you disappeared into the bedroom. Your shoulders were slumped, and your eyes lost their shine. You were really scared by this, and it actually bothered him to see this. Why was this occurring?

You emerged from the bedroom smelling like a mix of roses and lavender. Kylo watched from over his datapad. The red gown you had changed into had a high slit up to your hip and every time you moved, your leg would emerge. He felt his face warm, and he ducked behind the electronic when you went by him to get the fruit basket and put it into the fridge, the shrine door opened yet again.

“Did I do something wrong to upset whatever resides in there?” Your voice, while soft, made Kylo look up at you in confusion.

“If you had angered it, you would have been tossed out of the room.” As if agreeing with the Knight, the door slammed shut and locked.

“Can it not do that?” Your arms wrapped around yourself as the whispers began.

“You can hear the voices?” Kylo looked at you again but this time with interest.

“Of course, I can, but it's incoherent, like being underwater.” You padded across the carpet to sit in the armchair across from your husband.

Just as you sank into the soft seat, your dress shifted upward, just enough for the Commander to see a very thin black piece of fabric before it vanished underneath your dress. Crossing your legs, you watched as the shrine door even though it was still locked and closed.

“Very few have the ability to hear or even understand them,” Kylo muttered as he tried to hide his very bright blush.

“I’m assuming that individuals who can either wield or use the Force can hear them?” During your three-day seclusion, you had come up with the plan of trying to understand your husband, and that meant getting to know him.

“To a point, even just being sensitive can lead to being aware of them. Though you are not as strong with the Force as others, my presence might be leading to an amplification of your connection.” Kylo inwardly winced at how that sounded. However, he noticed that you weren’t even agitated at his words.

Tapping your cheek, you thought of his words. That would make sense as to why you could hear the whispers. It also was rather informative why even after his absence; they seemed louder than before. Yet that hasn't explained the happenings of the other room when Kylo was gone.

“The occurrences you are experiencing are from another entity.” Your lips quirked upward.

“I didn’t mean to bother you with my thoughts.” You said softly before standing and walking to the bedroom.

“I… Your thoughts aren’t intrusive?” The awkward statement made you pause for a brief movement before you turned your head to look at the incredibly flustered man.

“Either way, you are busy and I am tired. Good night.” You disappeared into the dark bedroom, his swaying.

‘A woman like that, you don’t let them go.’ Kylo whipped his head around to see a fading image of his grandfather walk into the locked room.

Now, this was getting even weirder.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your words were very pretty but there was a hidden motive underneath that was irking him.

**_Chapter Four: The Game Unfolds_ **

* * *

You had woken up to an empty bed but the smell of caff and food drew you from the warm confines of your bed. You were surprised that your conversation from last night was quite amicable. Despite how you two had left off a few days ago, it was rather nice to know that the tension was gone, at least for the moment. Stretching, you walked out of your bedroom to see Ren laying on the couch, once again on the datapad. As soon as you walked through the threshold, the whispers started.

“Your handle on space travel has improved.” You walked around the armchair to sit down.

“Somewhat, it comes and goes, though.” You poured yourself some caff while looking at the food he had ordered.

“What was agreed between the agriculture planet and the Order?” You met Kylo’s eyes.

“Protection against some raiders from another planet. Hux, as well as another general, adamantly agreed to the terms, seeing as the crops that come from this planet feeds roughly a quarter of the First Order army.” Your reply ended as you bit into a very warm and buttery biscuit.

“That’s all they wanted, protection?” Kylo lowered his datapad to look at you in confusion.

“These raiders not only steal their crops but also female citizens. The monarchy does not have enough soldiers or even a standing army to fight back. One hundred troopers for the means of feeding the folks that fight, it is hardly of a consequence of the Order to protect these people.” Ren made an agreeing tone before looking back down.

As you ate, you brought your own datapad to your lap to check your messages. There were a few but they were only mundane, mostly about the agreement between the two planets and the First Order. Shifting, you brought your legs up onto the chair and you settled your full weight against the back of it. The air was calm and even the whispers even silent.

Kylo watched as your eyes moved rapidly across the words in front of you. Since last night, the words of his grandfather have echoed in his mind. The unexpected advice was both troubling and rather flustering. He was not one without wants, though. True he did partake in carnal pleasures, but that was rare. His wife was incredibly beautiful, but he was not sure how to handle the fire that she cultivated into a shield around her. Her intelligence was refreshing as well as how she approached topics. Navigation into unknown topics was not easy for anyone but she did so with both comfort and respect, thus showing her ability or rather eagerness to learn was… Cute?

While he questioned as to why his master agreed to the marriage, even if her connection to the Force was weak, he wondered why it was a good idea for him to have her of all people. Her sensuality was second nature to her, and he could see how even a small smile on her face could flatter anyone. Not to mention the clothing she chose to wear highlighted her many wonderful features. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Kylo willed his libido to settle down. He had to work to do and wondering what she looked like underneath him was not helping at the moment.

“Trouble already?” Your voice broke his very ~~welcome~~ , turbulent thoughts.

“Hux has a very, unique way of wording his demands,” Kylo commented dryly, you smiled at his deadpanned tone.

“He is a bureaucrat when he doesn’t get what he wants, he pouts and gets grumpy, almost like a toddler.” The unexpected snort made you laugh quietly.

You two fell back into a comfortable silence. Kylo went back to his own messages as he began to levitate various fruits into the air. His master, in a rare show of concern, stated that that Kylo’s multi-tasking was lacking as of late. As annoying as it was, the basic control of levitating was soothing.

A knock on the door made you both look up. Getting ready to stand, Ren easily rose to his feet. You settled back down onto the armchair as the door opened to reveal a lieutenant who handed Ren a package before saluting and walking away. Kylo walked back to the couch and sat on it.

“It’s for you.” You took the package and opened it.

Peeking inside, you saw a note which you grabbed. The note was from your father, and he wishes you well. He also was extremely proud of your accomplishment in such a short time. He had sent you a silken blue top that was decorated in silver flowers. The design had been based on a dress your mother would wear when she would meet with the advisors. A soft smile appeared on your face, you stood and made your way to the bedroom to change into your new shirt.

Walking back out of the room, you gathered all the uneaten food to put into the fridge. Kylo watched as he saw how low cut your shirt was. The valley of your breasts was on full display and it was an amazing view. The curve each breast called to him and he wanted to see the entirety of your body.

“What will you do today?” You turned to Kylo who was trying to act casual by meeting your eyes.

“I’ll probably just walk around the ship for a while. I am curious about the overall functioning of the crew aboard.” You replied easily as you finished tidying up the kitchen and living room.

Kylo didn’t answer as he regarded you. Your thoughts were on mostly going to certain floors but he could see a dark little thought that was hidden deep in the intricate depths of your mind.

“Trying to find an ulterior motive?” As you crossed your arms under your breasts, you regarded your husband with a raised eyebrow. “I can tell when you are looking into my mind. I feel pressure near my eyes. I’m not going to cause a scene if that’s what you are wondering.”

“I do not mean to invade your privacy, but you are hiding something.” He responded with his own eyebrow raise.

“That is for me to know for the time being. As I said, it’s not something bad, at least for most people.” You walked away from the kitchen to go to the bedroom where you can retrieve your shoes.

Kylo glared after your form. He would not be swayed by your pretty words or even how you purposely added a little flair to your hips. Standing, the cloak he had left on the couch easily went into his hand as he waited by the door for you.

“Going to join me, _Commander_?” The purr didn’t go unnoticed, but you were given a glare which made you smile.

You had donned a pair of silver heels that added height which left you equal to his shoulder. He knew you were teasing him, but he was not in the mood for it since you called him out on his earlier mind-probe. After moving out of the quarters, the doors locked behind you two. You turned to the direction of the lift, leaving your husband to walk after you.

“Stop pouting.” You called over your shoulder to the visibly pouting male. “Though, your subordinates might find the change better than your customary scowl.” That made Kylo’s face shift to said scowl, causing you to laugh.

The lift opened to reveal two corporals who regarded you with a look of confusion. Once they realized that their Commander was present, they snapped a salute which was rewarded with a nod. Placing a hand on your back, he not so gently pushed you into the lift, making you stumble.

“Rude.” You were rewarded with a smirk.

The two others in the lift actually were extremely nervous as they watched the interactions between the commander and his wife. They weren’t sure how to handle the sudden shift of Ren going from _Commander_ to _Husband_ to _Commander_ in a matter of three seconds.

Once the lift stopped on the floor you wanted, you stepped out with your now currently scowling husband joining you. Somewhere in between the floors, you purposely let your thoughts run free, all ranging from various checklists to your currently new favorite, admiring your shirt that showed off your chest. It was dangerous projecting these thoughts, but you had to keep your husband balancing on a thin line of invasion of privacy and open barriers.

Crew members, both troopers and officers, scurried to the sides of the hallway as you and Ren walked. You weren’t worried about their fear if anything you felt sort of bad for them since they did have to see their Commander in a foul mood (that was slightly your fault). Stopping at a double durasteel door, you turned to Ren and gave him a very sweet smile, he sighed and the doors opened with a wave of his hand. Entering the room, you saw dozens of troopers in the middle of exercises with Hux overlooking the training on the opposite walkway from you and your husband. Captain Phasma, the amazing woman she was nodded her head in your direction which you responded with your own nod.

“What did you hope to achieve by coming here?” Ren asked as crossed his arms over his chest.

“I was curious about the training. What I have witnessed on my own planet is very different than how your own soldiers conduct their training. Am I not allowed to observe?” You turned your head to him with genuine concern; you didn’t want to have someone in trouble over this.

“You are allowed in all but two locations, at the moment.” He muttered out as he turned to Hux with a dark glower on his face.

“Is he thinking less than savory thoughts?” The glower twitched into a smirk before settling into a thin, flat line.

“Perhaps I should just sick you on him, that makes him go away quickly.” You couldn’t help the gasp that left your lips, making the dark knight grin slightly amused.

“Now that’s rude!” You bit back before turning on your heel and marching out of the training room, your husband quickly following you.

“He’s intimidated by you,” Ren called after you, your heels clicking loudly on the floor.

“At least someone is!” You all but growled out before stopping in front of another training room.

He didn’t answer, if anything, he was beyond amused with your annoyance with him. You let your eyes wander from trooper to trooper as they went through the motions of combat-rifle stances. If Hux was intimidated by the likes of you, you could work that to your advantage, either for your own personal gains or for your husband, since he did say that he was willing to throw your fury at the redheaded General. Crossing your arms under your breasts, you tilted your head to the left. A plan or rather, a strategy began to slowly appear.

“Thinking of seducing the General?” There was scoff to your right.

“No.” You said flatly as you brought your right hand to your face and lightly bite your index knuckle. “Your General is… predictable. His actions and reactions are too noticeable. How he was trying to handle the monarchies was not effective, and that could cause harm to any or all relationships with other planets the Order might need.” You stated, still lost in thought.

“Then what do you plan on doing about that?” Not really caring for his surroundings, Ren leaned his back against the railing, observing you and how your thoughts were literally racing in your head.

“I do not doubt his capabilities, but his approach was abysmal. If you want to have an alliance, you must give to get something. He wanted to do nothing at first until I had stated the protection and compensation for lost goods. Your other ambassadors are too afraid of you and Hux in fear for their lives. That needs to change if you wish to win this damned war and end all fighting.”

“Then take control of the ambassadors, make them relay any and all information to you and have them ask for your input before they strike a deal.” Your eyes met his.

“While I want to agree, it is not that simple. Some will think that I am using your position as a personal motive in securing my protection as well as for my planets. Even though that is half what I wish, I still need to prove that I can handle being the responsibility of being a commanding officer.” His eyebrow shot up in question and you huffed, annoyed again, at him. “One little victory doesn’t mean _shit_ in the eyes of Generals, Lieutenants and even Commanders, much less so to Supreme Leader Snoke.”

Kylo was absolutely loving every second of how your mind was working. You were at first talking out loud, but when he directed your line of wonder, your thoughts switched to how you could improve their approach to more allies. The little bubbles of schemes all but began to pop and he could see them bright as day. Your agitation towards his suggestion of just taking control almost made him laugh, you need to prove was adorable and admirable.

“You’ve done enough to show how you can work under pressure, just send a message to them all, I’ve given you the ability to do so.” You rolled your eyes at him. “Don’t ask, demand.” Your scoff reached his ears as you turned on your heel and started the walk back to the lift for a certain chamber and a not so Sith like Leader.

You were sitting, legs crossed, on the sofa as your fingers danced across the datapad. Your husband didn’t even flinch when you marched into Snoke’s communication chamber to ask for permission for assuming control over the ambassadors. The hologram just looked at you in another form of amusement before agreeing and sending you on your way. You had taken his consent to take the lift to the conjoined offices of three of the many ambassadors where you relayed the message of your new duties and they were all extremely relieved and happy that you were joining the team. Your dark knight merely leaned against the door-jam as they quickly fill you in some systems that have yet to join the Order and their prospective rulers. Finishing a very well detailed message about how to handle a highly militarized planet and how to appeal to the male ruler’s pride of his army, you sent the message to the ambassador that was currently overseeing those negotiations before stretching your back. Your arms went above your head as you arched away from the back of the couch. The little pops and cracks felt heavenly as a pleasant burn of your muscles being woken made you hum with appreciation.

Ren had disappeared into the Shrine after you returned from your little trek around the ship. He had been in there for little more than fifteen minutes, just long enough you could string coherent sentences together. Uncrossing your legs, you let the blood begin to circulate before you stood up. You stumbled forward as vertigo hit you. Before you could reach out to the table, something akin to hands stopped your fall. Looking around, you saw nothing, but the whispers suddenly appeared. Righting yourself, the voices vanished as did the hands. Well, you weren’t going to ignore their assistance. Giving a small ‘thank you'; you took your datapad and moved to the bedroom so you could change from your current attire to something less constricting.

After changing into a black nightgown that ended just above your knees, you went back out into the living room in hopes of reheating some of the food for dinner. Just as you stepped out of the bedroom, you stopped short as Hux and Ren were currently arguing (nothing new) in hushed whispers. Both men froze and both flushed scarlet at your attire. Seriously? Its fucking skin! Ren’s eyebrows twitched downward at your thoughts. Not even gracing them with a sigh, you spun on your heels and walked back into the bedroom, door slamming behind you. Food would have to wait until the two were done with whatever the hell they were discussing.

Five minutes later, you heard the door to the hallway close. Your husband entered the bedroom to see you sitting against the headboard with your datapad on your knees, comforter over your legs, saving him from the sight of your ~~very~~ lovely lower body. One of the ambassadors to the planet of Cantonica had asked for your help in trying to secure funds from the very rich planet. It wasn’t easy since this particular planet loved their independence and they loved to support the highest bidder.

“Hux is annoyed that you decided to plant yourself upon his team.” Ren sat on the edge of the bed; legs crossed as he watched you work.

“He can deal with it. He was all song and praise when I assisted with the other issue, he can handle having me at the helm of his very incompetent team.” You sassed softly as you reread a message, were these people dumb?

Kylo snorted as he heard that irritated thought drift over to him. While he personally didn’t deal with the entirety of the Hux’s team, he did on an occasion, did have to listen to the trio of negotiators when entering the field of a certain location, he could tell your frustration was justified with their tip-toeing.

“Next time if he has a complaint about me, send him to me. You do not need to be a barrier to protecting me.” Your eyes met his briefly before you went back to the datapad which pinged as a response came in.

“I said as much, but he was adamant that I stay aware of whatever you do.” The snort you let loose made him smirk.

“Obviously he doesn’t understand that a woman doesn’t need a man to defend her when she can handle her own just fine.” Kylo didn’t take that as an insult since you didn’t mean it that way, instead, it made him feel better that you were willing to argue and fight Hux instead of cowering.

“We are heading the system that is near Mustafar.” That drew your full attention.

“Mustafar? Wasn’t that location where the ascendance of Darth Vader began?” While your history of the Clone Wars was a little spotty, you had investigated battles between Jedi and Sith while Ren had been away.

“In a way, yes. My master wishes to see if there is anything of importance there.” Your eyebrows twitched downward as you frowned softly.

“Didn’t it house the Confederacy or something?” That question made Kylo regard your facial expression, questionable and intrigued.

“It was before my grandfather took it as his own. Why do you ask?” The news of Vader being Ren’s grandfather didn’t even shock you if anything it just confirmed some speculations that you had.

“While the planet is Volcanic, there are some precious resources that could be mined or collected for the First Order use. Plus, if it was housed by the Confederacy, there could be locations of similar locations hidden in the archives.” You sat forward and placed the datapad on the bed before whipping the covers off and standing.

“While I don’t disagree, I’m curious as to why you would say that?” You turned to look at him.

“More resources we control independently, less we need to beg or ask for from allies, lessen the strain and whatnot.” You were rewarded with a hum as he watched you go to the living room and into the kitchen.

“It might surprise you, but Hux believes that there is nothing of use there.” The laugh you let loose stilled him.

“Not surprising, he refuses to look at the bigger picture.” Opening the fridge, you grabbed a plate of some leftover meats and pieces of bread and put it on the counter before going for the tea that was in a pitcher, a gift from one of the chefs.

“I would like for you to accompany me to the surface.” That stilled you as you looked at your husband with suspicion in your eyes. “No harm will come to you, either from my hand or others. This might be a way to awaken some of the Force that swirls around you and let you hear the voices more clearly.” He added quickly.

“I’m a little skeptical on that notion but I am interested if there is something there. When do we arrive?”

You were kept busy as it took time to transverse the galaxy. Your husband seemed to be in a good mood, which seemed to further scare the crew of the Finalizer, but it was fine for you. He let you be when you were on the datapad and he listened when you asked for his input on various matters. Kylo had even taken it upon himself to teach you some basic history on the Clone Wars that you might not know. While this was occurring, the voices and the opening door to the Shrine continued but with less vigor than what previously happened. Ren had said that his Grandfather had been curious about you and he didn’t mean to scare you. You only answered with an eyebrow raise and said that if the spirit of Darth Vader wanted to get to know you, he could have done so without slamming the door to the Shrine. As if entertaining that comment, the shrine door slammed and locked making you glare at the location which promptly unlocked before relocking again. Ren had gotten a kick out of that.

“Your family has a warped sense of humor.” You muttered as you two returned from a briefing about stationing in the Mustafar region. Ren grinned cheekily at your sour expression.

“It’s a gift. From what I was told, it used to be a lot worse.” You gave him a soft glare before entering the living room to see the Shrine door open but no voices.

Without even saying anything, you balanced on one foot while taking off your left heel. As you switched feet, your balance was steadied by Ren who held the area above your left elbow as you plucked the heel off of your tired feet. Using his upper arm, you rotated the sore joint until it gave a very satisfying and loud popping noise. After making sure that you were steady on your feet, your husband lightly leg go of your arm but remained close in case you needed him giving him a soft smile, you released his own arm and walked to the bedroom to undress from the deep red gown you had chosen for the meeting today.

His eyes trailed your form before settling on your ass which had the added flare to it. He knew you were teasing him, but he could not figure out why. For now, he let you play your game, but he will get answers soon enough.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The heat was stifling, but it was the images that were floating around that made this planet dangerous.

_**Chapter Five: Mustafar, The First Day** _

* * *

 

Removing yourself from the warmth of the bed was not easy. You were wonderfully cocooned, and the smell of Ren’s shampoo was amazing and it reminded you of the woods that surrounded your home. Stretching your body, little kinks and pops as well as a rather breathy moan, alerted your husband that you were finally waking up. Today marked the day that you were going to join him on the excavation of Mustafar. Looking up from lacing his boots, Ren watched as your arms went back under the blankets but he heard several more pops before the blankets were pushed to the side. Your hair danced from over your shoulder to your back where he could see the column of your neck appear in his view.

He hadn’t wanted to get up early, but sometime during the night you had curled against him, deep in sleep, and the feel of your body against him had awoken a deep, throbbing need to have you under him, writhing and moaning. Blinking past the red haze of lust, he watched as you walked into the fresher to start your day. With a quick retreat, he ended up into the living room where his datapad sat, red light blinking that signaled he had messages. Going through them, they were just a list of supplies that were to be distributed to the team during their stay. Hearing a door open, he could hear you rummaging in the closet for clothing.

It was a few more moments of silence before you made your appearance. You were wearing dark pants with boots underneath (complete with kitten heels) and a red top that didn’t show any skin but did enhance your breasts. You were fixing your hair so that it was out of your eyes.

“We leave in less than an hour.” He added softly since he knew you were yet to be fully awake. You gave him an affirmative noise which made him smile softly.

You quickly finished your small breakfast before cleaning the kitchen. Ren had been silent the entire time, either filtering from the bedroom with your bags or to the Shrine and making sure it stayed locked. It seemed that his grandfather got the gist and let the doors stayed closed, at least for now. Drying your hands, you made one last entrance into the bedroom to retrieve your necklace and a small, petite blaster, which was strapped to your hip before joining him at the door.

“Is the ground team already there?” You asked your husband as you two waited for the lift.

“They should be. There is an old, but operational, center not far from the landing pad. It’s almost a housing bunker, that’ll be our command center for the moment.” He supplied as he guided (not pushed) you into the lift.

“I’m decent with technology, but I doubt that will come into play during our stay?” Your usual sass came into play, a smirk appeared on Kylo’s face as he noticed that you were fully awake now.

“We will see. You never know.” You raised an eyebrow at him but didn’t respond.

By the time you two entered one of the many bays that the Finalizer had, you could see Hux as well as Phasma and her team waiting for you two. Approaching the group, they all saluted before making their way to Ren’s shuttle. You and Phasma quickly spoke of precautions and possible dangers while Hux and Ren got into a little spat about time and resources wasted.

“General Hux?” You lightly called, still the impending quarrel.

“Yes, Milady?” He turned his full attention to you.

“If something occurs about the three other planets, please send them my way. There is a concern with the trade agreement, and I do not wish for there to be discord between their wants and our needs. Please keep me informed?” You gave him a very pretty smile, one that made him flush softly.

“I will Milady if it comes to further intervention.” You could tell he was trying not to sound dismissive, but out of the corner of your eye, you could see Kylo stiffen.

“Thank you. We’ll relay any information we come across as well.” Your smile turned even sweeter before you turned on your heel and began to walk to the ramp, your husband gave a curt nod to Hux before joining you and helping you ascend the steep ramp.

You sat in the middle of Kylo and Phasma, but you shot your husband a glare. Knowing he could hear your thoughts, you told him to play nice and stop antagonizing Hux, he responded with a huff which seemed to confuse the troopers but not Phasma who was used to her superiors’ actions.

The flight was fast, but your stomach did turn several different times by the time you landed. Taking the hand that was offered to you, both you and Kylo left the shuttle and onto the ground of Mustafar.

The heat hit you hard, but it was refreshing from the relatively cool climate control of the Finalizer. There were a mix of troopers, a few medics, and technicians milling around as they waited for their instructions. Your husband’s grip on your hand disappeared until you felt him wrap his arm around your waist. Not going to question the move, you both moved to the outskirts where Phasma listed what is to be done, expected, safety concerns and rotation schedules.

“What do you feel?” You turned your head to Kylo who was looking at you.

“Heat mostly, but there is something here.” Your eyebrow flickered downward as you tried to explain what you were feeling.

“It gets easier with time.” He offered before starting towards the area that would become the command post.

Others followed as you walked across the metal bridge. Looking around you, heaves of lava, magma, and spouts of hot steam greeted you. The feeling you felt when you had landed was stronger as you neared the building. It felt dark but also sad? It broke your heart that something had happened here, and you couldn’t think of why this planet was projecting these feelings. You suddenly stopped when you saw a figure out of the corner of your eye. Turning your head, you saw the same figure being chased by another. They vanished into thin air, leaving you shook and terrified.

“In highly concentrated areas, the Force can show the past, present, or rarely, the future.” Your husband’s voice drew you from your terror.

Without even looking, you accepted the hand that was outstretched to you as you both walked continued towards the building. The anxiety you felt slowly disappeared into the background as cool air from the climate control enveloped you. Bumps from the chill erupted on your skin as you felt your body instantly cool.

“Commander, My Lady.” Looking up, you saw a lieutenant saluting and bowing. Ren waved his hand and the man began to spout random things that you instantly found were not important to you. There was nothing about the resources or even any energy consumption from the other facilities. Feeling a prickle on the back of your neck, you turned your head to see a man on a bridge brandishing a weapon of some sorts. Ren suddenly snapped his head to see what you were looking at, he knew in that second that you were watching part of the fight between his grandfather and Obi-Wan Kenobi, instead of rousing you from the fight, he let you witness it, maybe this could strengthen your latent abilities. Blinking, you startled yourself back into the present, looking up, you saw your husband talking with the lieutenant, well more like barely listening to the man who was just prattling on. Walking forward, you wrapped your fingers around Ren’s bicep which tensed for a brief second.

“My Lady, please refrain from going to the observation tower area. The area has deteriorated significantly, and we do not know if the structures are safe for travel.” You quirked an eyebrow at the man who flushed softly.

“I don’t have a habit of exploring but I will take that under advisement. Where are the living quarters?” He instantly gave directions which you dragged Ren with you in order to save the officer and your sanity from evisceration.

You two were silent as you navigated the maze of hallways and doors to the location you were supposed to be. Holding up your hand, the keypad blinked three times before unlocking. You didn’t even get a chance to punch in the code. Looking upward, you saw your husband smirking. Rolling your eyes, you marched inside to see your bags already in the living room and waiting to be unpacked. Sighing, you just walked to the couch and sat down, resting your body.

“Is it always this draining, being in a location like this?” You asked softly.

“It can be if you are not anticipating the call and pressure of the force.” He navigated to an armchair before sitting on and resting his elbows on his knees.

“I can hear a woman, it's soft, but she is sobbing and it's heartbreaking.” You said before tilting your head to the left as if trying to understand the garbled words.

“It could be Padme Amidala, my grandmother. She technically died giving birth to my uncle and mother, but her spirit seems to hold on to this area.” Your eyebrows shot downwards as a frown appeared. This wasn’t new to you, well the final resting place of her spirit was, but the casual talk about her death was really what bothered you.

“Well then, any other things I should be aware of?” You said with minor intrigue and annoyance as you were once again out of your element, you just a quirk of a smirk in reply.

“Be wary with what you see, the dark side is strong here. You might be influenced or even see things that are not true. Be cautious with what is around you.” You nodded your head as you could tell that he wasn’t just warning, he was trying to protect you.

“I’ll be careful, though I am wondering about the quarry that the lieutenant mentioned, could it be possible that there is ore still there?” Your change of topic made him smirk.

“They will start investigating it tomorrow. You won’t be going there, though; you’ll be with me for most of the time we spend here.” Humming softly, you kicked off your boots before bringing your legs up to the couch so you could recline.

Resting your head on your hands on the armrest, you watched as your husband too reclined against the entirety of the chair. While his body language was still tense, he was slowly decompressing himself.

“I want to try an exercise, though it might now be completely comfortable for you.” Not moving, you tilted your head to the side in question.

“Are you going to scramble my brains like eggs?” You were rewarded with a snort. “What do you need me to do?”

“Relax just like you are now, but stretch your hand out to mine.” Mildly confused, you did as he asked. “I want you to close your eyes and think about an object, any object and imagine that weight on your hands.”

It was several hours later, and you had achieved nothing. You couldn’t even feel the weight of an apple or even a pair. This failure was making you extremely volatile and you ended up storming out of the living room into the bedroom, leaving your bag where it was.

Ren wasn’t surprised, but he could feel how the force swelled and completely enveloped your body. Yet he could tell that it wasn’t that you were resisting the nature of it, but rather it was that you didn’t know how to embrace the power that was residing near you. Your emotions were natural, and he didn’t blame you for being upset. He froze when he heard something shatter and clatter to the floor. Running to the bedroom, he saw you on the floor, completely frozen in fear.

In the bathroom was a baby lava flea. Without hesitation, Ren drew his saber and easily cut down the insect before it could jump. After making sure it was completely clear, he knelt in front of you to check for injuries, hearing the screaming whoosh of his saber disengaging, you startled back into reality.

“What the hell was that?” You asked softly.

“An adolescent lava flea. It must have snuck in here after they checked for the rooms.” He tilted your head to the side for any sort of injuries, there were none. “I’ll send for someone to come an remove the body, it might be best if we left the room while they cleaned it.” You had nodded at him before you went to stand, but he easily scooped you up into his arms and walked to the living room.

After being moved to the command center, you sat in a chair overlooking the lava fields. Your legs were crossed over the knees as you tried to shake the feeling of fear from your body. A hand on your shoulder made you whipped around. Ren stood still, as he knew you were still frightened.

“It’s safe to go back to the room.” You nodded, and he helped you stand up.

The trek back to the quarters was a quiet affair but you were completely okay with that. Wrapping your arms around your middle, a sudden hum in the air froze you. Turning your head to the right, near a window, you saw a cloaked individual just standing there motionless. A hand on your upper arm brought you back to the present.

“Did you see something?” You turned to Kylo who was looking at you.

“You didn’t see him?” You asked softly.

“Remember what I said earlier, this area can show you things that you are not true or could lure you away.” You easily leaned into his arm as he whisked you away from the window.

After double checking that there were no more fleas, you easily took your bag and rummaged through for a change of clothes.

“I have some things to go through, try and relax for the time being,” Kylo said before walking back through the main door.

Left to your own devices, you took a brief shower, while avoiding the spot where the flea had been killed. You wore a short-sleeved sleeping shirt and thin pants that helped dispelled the chill of the climate control. Settling down underneath the sheets, you let sleep overtake you.

“Monster!” You sat straight up; a thin light of sweat was completely decorating your body.

Pain flared on your right side as if you had been shot. Lifting your sleeping shirt, which was the thinnest material you owned, you saw nothing there, just smooth clear skin. What was that? A dream, a memory? Either way, the pain was not something that you could conjure up in your wildest imaginations. Bringing your legs to you, you rested your forehead against them as you tried your best to remember the scene or even the feelings that you had felt. A rippling shudder went through your spine as you looked up. A tall figure, dressed in all black, walked from what was the bathroom to the doors that led to the living quarters. The doors didn’t open, but the man did vanish. Your eyebrows knotted together for a split second before you got up and decided to follow the image.

Walking into the living room, you saw the man at the front entrance. Snatching your boots, you hastily put them on. Rushing out of the door, you skidded in your steps as you nearly, well not really, slammed into his back. From where you stood, you saw a shiny black helm and you could hear a faint but strong respirator being used. In your moment of hesitation, the figure started to walk away. Seeing your blunder, you ran in order to keep up with him yet again.

Your heels made soft clicking noises as you struggled to keep up with the long paces of whoever you were following. Your senses were telling you not to follow, but something in the back of your mind was driving you to. Skidding, you ran to a doorway, while it looked similar to all others you have seen, the keypad unlocked, letting you enter. You emerged on a bridge that connected to a very run-down observation bay. Walking towards the center of the room, your fingers trailed over the only chair, it was worn down metal and leather were cool to the touch, cementing that you were not dreaming.

Watching the figure, he placed his hand on the glass and his breathing turned labored as if he was crying. Stepping backward, you felt like you were intruding into a very private moment. As quickly as his shattered composure started it ended, he shoulders straightened and he was standing tall once again. Looking at the chair, the man walked over to it and sat down, and he fizzled out of existence. Crossing your arms, you looked at the chair before coming to the conclusion that you might as well see what he might have seen. With great care, you sat in the chair, but you held most of your weight on your thighs in order not to topple the fragile seat.

Before you could even estimate how much weight it could take, you were firmly pushed against the entirety of the chair. Your breath was slammed out of you as strong hands held you from leaving. Fear gripped you, but it was gone as the hands lessened until it was a gentle grip. Looking to your left shoulder, you saw nothing, no one was holding you back, but there was a presence behind you. Hearing a clicking noise, you saw how the chair became alive. The armrests lit up as the chair began to rise from the floor, your feet dangling. The room turned pure black and all you could do was hold on as images began to swirl around you and take hold of your mind.

Jolting forward, you found yourself on the floor, the chair no longer standing up, but on its side. Shifting to your knees, you placed a hand to your head, all you felt was hair and sweat, but no blood. Rotating your wrists, you felt the muscles respond, but sluggishly, your body was slow keeping up with your brains demand.

Shifting to sit back against your knees, you felt a sudden stinging pain against your legs, looking down, you saw that instead of bleeding on your head, you were bleeding there. Giving a huff, you sat hard on your ass to see that the cloth that was on your knees was completely covered in blood, well that was just fricken wonderful. Lifting your arms up, you saw that more scratches were all over, some on your elbows, forearms and a few on your wrists. Scowling, you pushed the sleeve up to see very sluggishly clotting. So, falling from the chair, which proceeded to give way, landed you on your face and all the metal around had bit into your skin, which hurt profusely.

“Of course, the weirdest shit happens.” Your mutter was filled with barely contained rage as you just wrapped your arms around your legs and laying your forehead against your knees.

Through deeps breaths, you managed to contain your anger, and you pushed it into a tiny compartment for later use. You should have just ignored the figure, but instead, your damn need to understand had driven you to follow. Footsteps made you look up; Ren was panting as he looked at you.

“Hi.” You called softly.

Instead of answering, he ran to your side and knelt in front of you. His hands were shaky as he held your face between them. You winced when he traced your cheek, a bruise might be forming there.

“What happened?” He asked. While he was tense, he was trying to be gentle as he poked and prodded each injury he came across.

“I was stupid. I followed your grandfather here. He wouldn’t let me leave until I saw whatever he wanted me to see.” Ren’s fingers stopped at your wrists where he froze.“He was dressed in all black with a ventilated helm. I don’t know what happened, I mean I do, but the chair must have broken when it slammed to the ground.”

“You need to see a medic; we’ll talk about this later.” You nodded, feeling properly scolded, let him pick you up and he navigated the hallways with ease. So much not causing conflict, you thought bitterly.

The medic trooper had tried his best not to cause you any added pain but it was hard since you had numerous wounds. The deepest one was on your left knee where a shard of metal had dug into nearly being stuck between the joints. You were completely silent during the entire ordeal, no sound as they stitched, cleaned and removed the shrapnel.

Taking the outstretched hand, you let Ren help you up. You two barely even said a word except for in the observation room. Walking once more back into the living quarters, you gingerly sat down on the couch, trying not to agitate the stitches on your knees.

“What were you thinking?” You flinched back away from the sudden anger that was lashed out at you.

“I wasn’t!” You yelled back in anger.

“Obviously! I told you to be careful and to be wary of what this place is!” Your earlier anger finally manifested.

“Well, I’m sorry for trying to find out why your very _dead_ grandfather is out to terrorize the shit out of me!” You through back before getting up and storming off to the bedroom, the door slamming shut behind you.

Releasing a harsh sigh, Kylo raked his hands over his face and hair. Not even a day here and already trouble was appearing. He had left to scout a long-forgotten building that had at one point, been the communication tower, and he was radioed by a very nervous trooper who had witnessed his wife sprinting through the halls. The trooper had been locked out of the observation deck, but the doors had unlocked when Ren had approached him. The terror that filled him when he saw all of that blood was not something he wanted to revisit. Yet what scared him most was Emperor Palpatine standing near the chair, smiling wickedly at the sight of his very bruised and bloodied wife. The sound of boots hitting the wall broke him from his thoughts. Guess the bed was out of his future until his wife was no longer angry with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not 100% happy with this chapter. I literally rewrote it three times and it's still not solid enough to feel comfortable over. Yet I digress. Thank you guys for both reading, giving kudos and just being plain awesome!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You were really starting to test the strings of this marriage, though for good or bad is still being decided. Who knew Kylo Ren's ears could turn a lovely shade of red?

_**Chapter Six: Mustafar: Day Two** _

You didn’t sleep well that night. Instead, you only drifted as your body curled up into a ball underneath all the covers. Tears had come and dried as the last of your emotions finally drifted away. You were scared, so much that the images you had seen kept flooding back to you.

Cautiously walking through the threshold of the bedroom, Kylo saw your form underneath the covers and he knew that you too were plagued by difficult dreams. The couch had not been a good choice to sleep on, but it had to do since the two of you had fought. He had dreamt of the night at the temple, where he had slaughtered all of the younglings and made his move to go away from the light side of the force. It wasn’t often that he was dreaming of that night, but it seemed that the argument unleashed the torrent of memories from his darkened past.

After showering and dressing quickly, he left the bedroom but froze when he saw you sitting up in bed, looking at your wrists. You had taken off the bandages that had covered them, they weren’t as badly injured compared to your knees or your forearms, but they still had to be stitched.

“I’m sorry.” The gentle and rather sad whisper hit Kylo, draining his breath.

“I shouldn’t have yelled at you last night. That was both uncalled for and you did not deserve that.” His words were jumbled as he tried to convey his own remorse for yelling at you.

“No, it was warranted. I was not cautious, and this situation could have been a lot worse.” Bringing your arms to your body, you just laid your head against your knees, which began to sing with pain as the skin was pulled tight.

Actually lost for words for once, Ren made his way to the bed before he sat close enough that you could feel his thigh brush against your toes, but still gave you room in case you needed to escape. Lightly tugging the covers, you let them be pulled away as he brought your knee to his lap. There were some spots of blood on the bandages; some were old, but there were some fresh ones, probably caused by your recent amount of movement. He skimmed his fingers over the bandages, and he felt your body tense at the feeling.

“You know Hux will have to be reported to about this.” Kylo scowled.

“It can wait till we are close to leaving. The excavation team is due to return in two days’ time.” You peered up at him from underneath your lashes.

“I want to go back to the observation room. There’s something about that chair.” He turned to look at you with confusion and worry. “It had lit up when I was forced to sit on it, usually chairs like that have some sort of hidden compartment.” You added in hopes of clearing up your intent.

“Later, after the medic has had a chance to clean your wounds.” You gave a soft hum in agreement.

Before Kylo could remove your leg from his lap, a slightly bruised heel dug into his thigh, stilling him. Lunging forward, despite the pain that was flaring at your sudden movements, you placed a delicate kiss to his cheek. His skin was warm, slightly prickly, which meant he hadn’t shaved yet, but the flush of color that surrounded his face made your actions worth it. Swinging your legs from the bed, you got up and walked to the bathroom to shower, not just to rid any sort of filth on your skin, but to shake the dark and negative emotions that were rippling across your skin.

Ren sat in silence. The gesture was completely welcome, but he felt that he didn’t need to be gifted with a single kiss since he had failed in his mission keeping you safe from any sort of harm. Feeling his face turn warmer, he quickly left the bedroom in order to keep himself busy while you got ready for the day. He didn’t disagree that there was something in the observation room, but he didn’t want you to go anywhere near it because of Palpatine. The former Sith Master was someone he even feared. The power that he had held during his rule and how he even manipulated entire systems during the Clone Wars and the Galactic Empire was something to be cautious about.

Leaning against the counter, Kyloo crossed his arms and drummed his fingers against his bicep. If the Sith Master was interested in you, a barely Force-sensitive individual, that meant that you needed to be protected at all costs. Snoke wasn’t too involved with you, if anything, he found the union between the Master of the Knights of Ren and the aristocratic daughter of a political figure, highly amusing. Sighing sharply, the knight pushed off of the counter to walk over to the couch where his saber lies.

Finally walking from the shower, you were clad in only a towel since you had yet to unpack your clothing. Your knees and arms did not appreciate the water that had hit your skin, but to you, it felt heavenly. Kneeling to your bag, you opened it to find a pair of pants, a red shirt and you under clothes. You walked back to the bathroom to change and to prepare yourself for whatever mishaps or invasive images that might appear.

Stepping out of the bedroom, you saw Kylo holding his saber like it was a foreign object. Clasping your hands behind your back, you put most of your weight on your right foot as you observed your husband. He was tall, nearly two feet taller than you, he had black hair that reminded you of the night sky but it was his eyes that you liked the most. They shined like molasses in the sun and they were beautiful. Despite his reputation of being a senseless beast, he was actually a caring person, if he found you to be worth his time. His loyalty knew no bonds but it was his body language that made it easier to understand him. If he was angry, his muscles would tense, if he was content, he was completely boneless (this one you’ve only seen when he was sleeping or just relaxing on the couch), but when he was embarrassed, that was the magic gem. His shoulders would cave inward, as if trying to protect himself, his hands would go through several spastic motions as if he wasn’t sure what to do with them. He was really an astounding creature, one that deserved to be feared and worshipped.

Blinking back from your thoughts, you noticed that Kylo had yet to acknowledge your existence. Rolling your eyes in amusement, you tapped your booted foot against the armchair leg and the man nearly jumped out of his skin at the noise. You couldn’t help it, you erupted into giggles as he glared at you, though from the annoyance of being frightened not your overall presence. Your giggles intensified as he tried to seem menacing.

“I’m glad to be of amusement.” There was no disdain in his voice only humor. You took a breath in order to compose yourself.

“I won’t say that I’m sorry, but it is kind of funny that I managed to scare you.” He rolled his eyes at you before he stood. He clipped his saber to his belt before he motioned for you to come to the door.

“It won’t become a habit, I assure you.” The dry retort made your giggles reappear once more.

“So you say, I’ll make sure to keep trying. You need to stay on your toes, Master Ren, even around me.” He lightly pushed you forward in order to get you out of the door.

By the time you were sitting in front of the medic, you had thoroughly flustered your husband to the point even his ears had turned bright red. Your giggles had filled the hall and crew members all scattered away in case your teasing caused the Knight to snap. Yet he didn’t, if anything, he took each teasing in stride and even offered a few barbs of his own, much to your happiness. The medic was quick but efficient with each injury even though you were wincing whenever the drag of the cotton went over a stitch.

“Take care not to do anything extraneous for then your wounds will reopen.” You nodded your head to the medic as you fixed your pant leg.

“I’ll try my best. Thank you, sir.” He nodded before you stood and went over to your husband’s side who was leaning against a wall, looking bored. “Are you ready?” You asked him softly, and he made a noise before taking your waist and moving you two towards the door that leads to the observation tower.

You two walked in silence, but you were feeling better but apprehension was settling against your back as you got nearer to the bridge. Kylo felt your anxiety and curled his hand a little tighter against your waist to bring you back to him and not the void of worry you were sitting in. Feeling that curl, you molded yourself against his side as you felt grateful because he was trying to be comforting, in his own right that is.

You both stopped at the door which had remained unlocked and opened from last night. Breaking away from you, Kylo removed his saber from his belt while pushing you to be behind him in case any wildlife or dueling spirits were to jump out when you entered the room. Placing a hand on his back, you followed behind him as you entered the dilapidated room.

Taking a breath, Kylo released some of the tension in his body as he found nothing was amiss. Other than the faint blood smears on the floor and the chair that had been on its side, there was nothing out of place in the room. Your fingers lightly rubbed over his shoulder blade in comfort as you tried to soothe the rest of his tension away.

“Don’t wander off this time.” You huffed in amusement as you separated from him to walk towards the chair so you could begin your investigation on to see if there was indeed a compartment of some kind in the broken seat that nearly tried to kill you.

Kylo walked around the room, toeing things out of his way as he too began to search, but for what, he wasn’t sure. This room was heavy with the dark side, and he was curious as to why his grandfather was drawn to it. Humming softly, you felt around the armrests for any sort of buttons or lines that could mean that there was something hidden there. So far you haven’t found anything, other than jagged metal and dry, cracking leather. Sitting back onto your heels, you reached into your hair to pull out a small bobbing pin, and it was just small enough to catch on something that you couldn’t see or even feel. Ren turned around to see you currently bent over the chair, chest, and stomach against the armrest as your feet barely touched the ground. His eyebrows shot up as his face turned incredibly warm at the sight. Turning away, he pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt his groin starting to tighten, nothing was ever easy when you were around.

“Aha!” You found a button on the bottom of the armrest and the entire chair lit up.

Kylo took a deep breath and turned around to see you once again sitting on your heels as the armrest you had been draped over opened. The whirring noise was jarring, metal on metal sound, but inside was a decent-sized compartment that was decorated in a red silk cloth that had not started to deteriorate away. Walking over to you, he knelt by your side to peer inside. Sitting against the wall of the compartment was a little drive with a cylindrical object right behind it. Scooting back a little, you let your husband reach inside to take everything out. He deposited the drive stick to into your hands but took the cylindrical object. Firmly closing your hands, you watched as your husband stood and moved away from you.

Tilting the object around, Kylo found what looked like an activation plate. Clicking it, a ruby red saber erupted from it. Blinking in confusion, you rose from your seated position to walk near your husband who was busy inspecting the lightsaber. Walking around him, you stood with your chest against his arm as he went through basic rotations with the blade.

“Who did that belong to?” You asked once it was deactivated.

“My grandfather, it’s not uncommon to have more than one lightsaber. Accidents happen that cause one to either explode or become unusable.” Kylo answered before clipping the blade onto his belt.

“The images that I saw, while I’m skeptical about them, were very scattered like important milestones, but more like life events that needed to witnessed, all have nothing to do with this room.” You met Kylo’s eyebrows with a quirk of your eyebrow. “I’ll let you see for yourself, after we leave this area, _caution_ , right?” You gave him a cheeky grin before spinning on your heel and walking away from the chair.

Ren gave a sigh before following after you. Your ability to manipulate him was amazing but also refreshing. You weren’t afraid to challenge him and even fight him if need be. Seeing you were already out of the door, he jogged after you so you would not transverse the area without him. Feeling his hand on your lower back, you stepped backward, so he could pull you into his side, that way he knew you weren’t going to disappear.

You waited by the door as Kylo dropped off the drive-chip to the lieutenant. Your arms were wrapped around your waist as you thought back the last day and a half. Despite the minor setback of getting injured and the episode of the chair, your intuition had been correct, there was something here. Cocking your hips to the left, you titled your head in the same direction as your husband walked over to you. He stopped right in front of you, as you tilted your head up to him, you offered a soft smile to which he lightly tugged a lock of your hair in reply. You both left to your quarters, so he could see what you had seen the night before.

Sitting on the couch, you removed your boots that were agitating a bruise on your right heel. You rose to your knees and sat back on your thighs as you prepared yourself. Ren maneuvered himself next to you so when he peered into your mind, he could catch you if you fell.

“This is going to hurt, isn’t it?” Your voice was soft but you weren’t afraid, yet.

“It can be. Just don’t fight the feeling, it’ll be easier that way.” Your nose wrinkled as you shifted your weight in order to find a better position. “Close your eyes and relax.”

The pressure appeared behind your eyes as you felt Kylo’s presence. Remembering his words, you forced yourself not to fight him as he began to scout around in your mind. Remembering last night, the memory immediately surfaced, showing your husband how you were startled awake from sleep to seeing Vader and following him through the halls to the tower. Yet he was more interested in your nightmare that had caused you to awaken and you felt tense as he tried to ply it away from the confines that you had shacked on it.

‘ _Relax_.’ You did the opposite of what he asked. The pain began to erupt in your skull. ‘ _Do not fight, let me see_.´ He tried to put more comfort into his words.

Your mental fortitude gave a powerful shudder before breaking down. Kylo saw your nightmare, and it was him when he killed a tribe of nomads who were harassing a team of engineers who were working to construct a base on a very far away planet. He would think about that later. Following the memories back to where you had started to sit on the chair, he felt himself suddenly thrown into your position. He let the images take hold of him. The first memory was of his grandfather marrying his grandmother in a private ceremony on Naboo. The next was the death of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, the battle between Kenobi and Skywalker, and the birth of Vader. However, it was the rush of memories that drew the Knight to stay. The fight between his uncle and grandfather, the death of Palpatine and the reemergence of Anakin Skywalker, but the last memory was of Vader standing next to his former masters that suddenly filled Kylo with rage, the once terror of the galaxy was at peace.

Before he could pull back from your mind, he saw a memory of you and a woman who looked distinctly like you. You were clutching her hand as you wept loudly. There was a single blaster wound on the older woman’s chest as she gave a struggling breath and smile comfortably before her eyes stared blankly, seeing nothing.

 _‘STOP!’_ Kylo was booted from your mind.

He fell off the couch in the sheer force of strength you had just shown. Tears were rolling down your cheeks as you clutched your hair. A broken and low sob escaped you as you tried to stop the pain of both the memories and invasion to go away. Blood was slowly dripping from your nose, but you weren’t concerned about how it was staining your shirt.

Realizing that he made a mistake for seeing something so private and hurtful, Kylo lightly placed his hand on your foot, but you withdrew yourself from him as you continued to cry. Wincing, he stood from the floor to sit once again on the couch, but he didn’t move to comfort you, seeing as how he was the one who made you relive one of the worst memories of your life.

“Are you happy now?” Your voice was very broken, and it was completely heart wrenching.

“It was not my intent to make you go through that again.” He was trying to be soothing but the dark look you gave him actually was slightly terrifying.

“You got what you wanted. My mother was murdered three weeks before I married you. A failed coup in order to stop the unification between the Order and my planet.” You stood from the couch and went into the bedroom, leaving a flabbergasted Knight sitting in silence.

You took a freezing cold shower and you dressed in a short-sleeved shirt with shorts before you just sat on top of the bed, tears still dropping. Of all the things he had to see, he chose to pick the saddest and easily the most painful memory that has ever happened to you.

Kylo had left the entirety of the quarters as soon as he heard the bathroom door close. He hadn’t meant for any unwanted pain, but it had happened. He found himself standing at one of the older landing decks as he waited for you and himself to cool down. While he wasn’t emotionally constipated, he did know that it was going to take time for you to calm down in order to talk near or even at him. Sighing, he tilted his head upwards to see the smoke from the lava circling around the walls of the building, there was no night sky, no stars, something he had come to love and miss whenever he was gone from Space.

His feet were already going numb, but he didn’t want to leave the area. Kylo had lost track of how long he had been standing here, but from the look of an officer who had scuttled by him, it's been a while, probably longer than most people could handle in this heat. Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck in hopes of releasing some of his pent-up emotions.

“You don’t have to stay out here.” Kylo whipped around to see you standing behind him, holding your arms looking a little lost. You two stared at each other, each waiting for some sign or sudden movement. “The lieutenant found something on the drive that we gave him, he wants you there to review it.” You said softly before turning on your heel and walking back to the door.

“Come with me.” You stopped and turned to him.

“What?” Your pupils dilated.

“Come with me after we leave Mustafar. You wanted to know about my grandfather, there are two areas that hold most of his story.” He took a step towards you while offering his hand.

“Is that wise? Your job as Commander-“ Your sentence stopped when he sighed.

“My job is only a shroud for what I really do. You know this, don’t insult your own intelligence.” You bit your lip as you looked away from his intense gaze.

“We’ll see, I can’t promise anything.” You took a step backward to turn back towards the door. “Hurry, before the lieutenant sends someone and they might end up pissing you off.”

You two went towards the command center where the said man was pacing waiting for your return. He instantly perked when he saw you both entering the room. His turned a light shade of pink when he noticed the dark look on his Commander’s face, but it was the arm that was loosely wrapped around his wife’s waist that made him flush. He stood up taller when he noticed Lady Ren’s eyes narrow and darken at him, he must be taking too long.

“Apologies, Commander, My lady. The tech managed to decrypt some of the files and they were locations of hidden caches or bases that the Empire had used before its demise.”

“Show me.” The tech saluted before bringing up a 3-D image of the galaxy.

Little markers began to fill the space on planets that were both near and far in all directions. Furrowing your eyebrows, you saw your own planet as one of those locations. Pressing your side against Kylo’s he looked down at you.

“I know where that is,” You pointed to your planet. “There is an old abandoned fortress there. It hasn’t been used for at least a thousand years.”

“We will go there first.” You nodded.

“Does it say what is in these caches? Weapons, funds, ore?” The tech turned to you.

“No, it doesn’t Milady. But I’m still decrypting.” Kylo turned his attention to the tech who visibly shrunk.

“How long will it take you?” Ren froze as your words from days ago filtered back to him, being diplomatic was better than using brute force.

“At least until tomorrow morning. I’m sorry, Milady, Commander.”

“Don’t apologize, thank you for letting us know what you have so far. Lieutenant, have you reported to General Hux yet?”

“No Milady, not yet, would you like to secure a link?”

“Do it.” Ren’s voice took over from yours.

In less than a minute, an image of Hux appeared next to the 3-D galaxy. The man looked annoyed and his hair looked ruffled like he was caught sleeping.

“General Hux, sorry for the intrusion, but we found a drive that shows various caches from the time of the Empire.” Your voice made the man deflate a fraction.

“The survey team will be back from the quarry tomorrow. From the first test, there is viable ore here.” Ren added.

Hux grunted before fixing his great coat. Obviously, he had hoped this whole thing would be a bust and that the planet would be forgotten. Forcing yourself not to roll your eyes, you lightly tapped Ren’s hand that was next to your own.

“That bruise on your face, what happened?” A soft flush overcame your face.

“An accident with a chair, nothing to worry about, General.” You said breezily, giving him a charming smile.

“Of course.” He trailed off looking confused and a little worried. “When you have the rest of the information, report back. Milady, please be wary of the environment there, your safety is the utmost concern.” You curtsied in reply as his image fluttered out.

Looking up at your husband, you bumped him with your hip signaling it was time for you two to leave. Moving towards the door, you were stilled when Ren grabbed your hand. Looking at him over your shoulder, you noticed how he was staring at the map again. You gave a tug to his hand, and he reluctantly followed behind you.

Instead of going back to the quarters, you dragged your husband to what used to be a large library. You had looked at the map some time ago and found out about it. Tugging him to go faster, the door opened as soon as you stood in front of it.

“If you had read the notes, this was used by your grandfather during his stay here, he might have left a journal or something.” That seemed to pique the interest of the quiet male. “Go play; I need to sit down; my knee is threatening to give out.”

You walked over to one of the many couches and slumped down on its surface. The screaming of your knee was from overuse, and you knew it was from all of the walking you had done earlier. Once again kicking off your boots, you stretched out as you watched Kylo walk from each shelf looking at the various titles. He was like a kid in a candy store, a snort from somewhere around the desk made you chuckle then wince with pain.

“It was supposed to be a compliment.” You called as you rested your head against the armrest.

“Indeed.” His response drifted over to you.

Your eyes drifted close as you felt sleep overcome your mind. Ren looked up from a holobook he was browsing when he saw you finally drift off. He wished you were still mad at him, but at the same time, he was glad that you decided to seek him out earlier. He could feel that you didn’t blame him for the resurfacing of that unsavory memory, but he could also tell that her death was still very much a topic not to be approached anytime soon.

Your eyes fluttered opened as you went to stretch your legs. A satisfying pop alerted you that your knee was cooperating again. Looking over, you saw that Ren’s cloak was draped over your form and he was still reading at one of the desks that were around the room. Rolling onto your side, you watched as he easily combed through whatever he was reading. The cloak was warm, and it smelled just like him.

“Did you find anything?” Your voice drifted over to him.

“Some of the records are of battles and affairs during the Empire, nothing personal, though.” Kylo’s legs were up on the table as he continued to thumb through the volume. “Your planet was mentioned twice so far. At one point it housed the Republic, another it was the Empire.”

“So, it was very inconsistent during the wars. Just like my father said.” You sat up, clutching the fabric to you.

“To a point, after the Republic started winning, your planet broke off all relations with either side.” You hummed as you stood, draping it around you.

“That was roughly when my parents got married.” Ren’s eyebrow went up. “I wasn’t born until nearly a decade after the battle of Endor, 14 ABY, to be exact.”

“I didn’t know you were that much younger than me.” He sounded a little surprised.

“Surprising isn’t it, Master Ren, that you have a _young wife_?” Your voice had a barely concealed purr that made the man flush and clear his throat.

“I don’t, that wasn’t what I meant. Stars you’re frustrating.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, your giggle filtered in his ears.

“You are making this too easy.” That earned you a dark scowl.

“You are merciless.” He sassed, making you giggle again.

“I don’t know mercy. You should know that by now.” You called over your shoulder as you began to walk to the door in order to leave for the living quarters. “If we plan to fly to my planet, you might want to invest in something less heavy in cloth. It's really warm there this time of year.” You said before walking out with his cloak draped over your body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading, sorry that this was a filler chapter (and so far the longest one for this story), but I promise, there will be a point of coming up (may or may not be next chapter ((wink wink))).


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ending of Mustafar and some conclusion to the minor terror of Palpatine.

_**Chapter Seven: Final Day of Mustafar** _

__

You were in the middle of making dinner which had consisted of left-over food from the last few nights when your dark knight finally emerged from the library. He was still reading a holobook and he would have tripped over the coffee table if his foot didn’t hit one of the legs that belonged to the table. You couldn’t help but start giggling as he looked surprised that he had just bumped into something.

“That must be a very good book.” Your eyebrow was raised as you regarded your husband with a smirk.

“Hush, you’ve done the same thing with the holopad.” Your smirk changed to a cheeky grin as you made a sweeping motion with your arms.

“I do it with grace, maybe you need some lessons with that?” You couldn’t help but erupt into laughter at the deadpanned look he gave you.

“No thank you.” Your giggles continued as he walked to the bedroom, more than likely to rid himself of the extra layers he was wearing.

Going back to the stove, your smile was bright and sweet as you stirred the sauce that had been slowly simmering. Despite all the actions of today and you reliving the death of your mother, you were sort of glad that it was no longer hidden, that weight was lifted from your chest, at least in a sense.

Grief was something that didn’t wish to handle, and it showed, but how you handled her death was by wearing her necklace and completing your promise that you would help in any means necessary in ending this godforsaken war. That was a promise that you had meant to keep.

“You were correct about the library.” You turned your head to see your husband leaning against the counter still reading. “It’s a combination of Confederate and Empire data logs.”

“Oh? What’s that one then?” You said before turning off the burners and taking your ladle to spread the sauce over the noodles that had been slowly cooling on the plates next to you.

“Confederate manufacturing of the droid army. Locations, caches, donors, you name it.” He looked up as you placed a plate next to his arm. “Did you really cook dinner?”

“More like just reheated some things. You can’t waste food.” You replied easily before bringing your own plate to the counter.

Dinner was quiet but you were okay with that. The clean-up was easy as you washed and put the dishes into the drying rack, Ren was reading on the couch, completely immersed with the book. Wiping your hands dry, you draped the dishtowel over the dishes before going to the living room to pick up Ren’s datapad that he was lending you during your trip on Mustafar. Sitting down on the armchair nearest to him, you situated yourself into a complex but comfortable position, one that didn’t agitate any of your wounds or bother your knee. With a quick few taps, you were logged into the First Order System under your username and you began to sort through the piles and piles of emails.

It was only a few minutes before you felt something lightly tap against your foot. Looking down and over the datapad, you saw Kylo lightly tapping your toes to an unheard rhythm. Bumping your foot against his hand, he easily stroked your toes before going back to his book. The touch of comfort was nice, and it actually was a sweet sentiment that showed how far you two had come in roughly two weeks’ time of being together.

“My mother said that if someone was to randomly touch your feet, they deserve a kick to the face.” The word mother came out a little strangled but the rest of the sentence ended smoothly.

“Are you going to kick me?” Your lips quirked upwards into a grin.

“Not yet, remember what I said, power comes from the feet.” He looked over his shoulder to give you a playful glare.

“What do you mean by that?” You tilted your head to the left in contemplation.

“When you go to greet someone, your stance needs to be proper, how you carry yourself on your feet, on your legs, it defines how you are as a person. You walk with purpose, long, deep strides. I walk with short but measured steps, showing that I am not afraid of who or what I will meet.” He poked your toes which wiggled at him. “If my steps are uneven or even slightly hesitating, I might be perceived as meek or even weak, something I refuse to accept.”

“You aren’t any of that, though.” Now he was completely confused and it was adorable.

“Sadly, not everyone shares your view on that. I am a woman, a child of wealthy individuals, anyone could or would use that against me if I do not show that I can handle myself or even stand my ground. Image is everything in the world of politics.” You shrugged your shoulders before bumping his hand with your foot one more time.

“Then they are fools to try to deem you less than worthy of your title.” Now it was your turn to be confused.

“My title? Which one, I have many.” Leaning forward, you draped yourself over the armrest.

“All of them, Lady, Princess, Ambassador, they all show you are of high status.” You giggled softly.

“My planet does not use the terms ‘Princess' or 'Majesty'. We just use ‘Lady or Lord’, which is pretty much the same as the other ones.” You lightly trailed your fingers over his still outstretched hand.

You felt the deep calluses that were over his fingers, but they were a smooth type of callous, a complete contradiction. As you drifted over his knuckles, faint lines were felt, probably from years of working with his hands. Your own hands were dainty and were completely smooth, no scars, other than a cut on your thumb from the metal of the chair, but your hands were not work-worn.

“Why did you say that you were going to hit Hux with your shoe?” Your giggles turned into laughter.

“It’ the least used object in an argument. It’s always hands or even arms, no one expects a shoe.” A grin cracked over Ren’s face at the image of you beating the ever-living daylight out of Hux with one of your heels. “It’s getting late, plus the team is due back tomorrow, come to bed?” You asked softly as you traced a random pattern into his palm.

“Not yet, but I will eventually.” Nodding you stood, your fingers dragged over his as you walked to the bedroom.

You were deep in the realms of sleep when something warm wrapped around you. Blinking your sleep crusted eyes open. You tilted your head to the side to feel warm breath against your neck. Kylo easily slid his much larger frame against yours as he curled his immense height around you. A soft hum escaped you are you flattened your back against his chest. He was insanely warm and despite being on a lava planet, his warmth was welcome against the chill of the climate.

Stretching, your muscles burned pleasantly as every part of your body began to wake up. The arm that you had been slumbering on tensed before settling once again. Rolling over, you curled yourself under your sleeping husband’s chin. The smell of his shampoo, which reminded you of a forest after a long rain, helped quell any homesickness you had.

A satisfied groan escaped from somewhere in your husband’s chest. His arm tightened around your waist as he lightly nosed around your hairline. His fingers drifted up and over your waist, your ribs even eventually drifted against the underswell of your breasts.

“A little too early.” You muttered against his throat. His fingers continued to drift towards your collarbone and they stopped at the junction of your throat and shoulder.

“Says the person who does not wake till well after first shift rotation.” You grinned against his throat before placing a soft kiss there.

“Sleep is good. It does the body wonders.” You whispered softly before relaxing your body once more.

Kylo didn’t answer but he did grunt when he felt your freezing cold fingers trail over his bare chest. Gently taking your hand, he began to rub each digit in hopes of warming the frigid appendages. Giving a soft purr, you lightly nuzzled his throat as you tried to quell the swell of arousal that was flowing through you. It was definitely way too early to be fighting off the primal instincts.

“Be nice.” You whispered as you felt his fingers dance from your hand to trail downwards and over the sensitive skin of your wrist.

“Ironic from the woman who oozes her sexuality.” His gruff morning voice was not helping your condition.

“I don’t tease you as soon as you wake up, though.” Your voice trailed off as you placed another soft kiss to his throat.

Instead of replying, Kylo wrapped his arm around your waist once more before settling back down for sleep. Humming gently, your fingers, which were no longer freezing, lightly traced over some scars that were on his chest. They were a faint white color but were smooth to the touch. His skin was soft with the occasional smooth surface of a scar. With each stroke of your fingers, Kylo drifted off to sleep, completely relaxed and content compared to the first few days you two had gotten married. Seeing he once again slept; you stopped your ministrations in order to fall asleep yourself.

The next time you woke up, you were draped over the chest of your husband. Apparently, sometimes as you two were asleep, he had moved to his back and you had followed him. You could hear the steady beating of his heart, and it was a nice way to wake up. Stretching your legs, you found that your right leg had draped over his own. The arm that you had slept on was lightly shifting through your hair, a comforting action.

“How late is it?” You mumbled sleepily against his skin.

“Not late enough, the team is presenting their findings in a few hours and it’s a video conference with Hux at the same time.” He responded while looking down at you.

You grunted softly before stretching your arm over his body and just burrowing yourself back into the warmth of both the bed and Kylo. That was the only issue about sleeping in the same bed as someone, all the extra warmth and being so comfortable, sleep was already tugging you back under and your husband’s actions were not helping.

“Stop that, I need to be awake.” You whined playfully.

“You have time.” He chuckled out.

“It’s going to take me time to get ready.” You yawned at the end of your sentence as rubbed your cheek against his chest again.

He didn’t respond, but he continued to stroke your hair. Finally looking up at him, you noticed that once again he was reading one of the holobooks that he found in the library. Giving a slow-blink that a cat would be envious about, you puffed out your cheeks in fake annoyance. Of course, he would be reading while being in bed with you. A slight smirk appeared on his face as your thoughts drifted over to him.

“You were sleeping, I didn’t want to wake you.” Your pout suddenly changed to an impish smile.

“Aren’t you just a sweetie.” His eyebrow rose at you. “Thank you, though. This place has been altering my rest and changing my dreams to dark memories or something like that.” You lightly extracted yourself from his chest, but he drew you back by your elbow.

“I know, either from the will of my grandfather or another entity, they are showing you things that can be unsettling.” Leaning forward, you placed your hand right above his heart and you leaned over him so you meet his eyes.

With a quick peck to his cheek, you were out of the bed, leaving your husband a lovely shade of pink. Giggling, you closed the door behind you so you could begin to get ready for the day. After taking a shower, you easily looped your hair into a pretty but elegant bun. As you were double-checking on your wounds, you heard the bedroom door open and then close, meaning that your husband was also getting ready.

Walking out in only a towel, you quickly went to the closet to find some clothing. You easily grabbed a pair of silver heels, and you looped your pinky through the thin straps that held the dainty shoe together. Sorting through your shirts and pants, you took a pair of black slacks and a deep blue shirt decorated with silver and grey flowers. After sorting through your bag, you quickly took a pair of black panties and a matching black bra before going back into the bathroom to change.

As you stepped out, you saw Kylo with his back to you, about to put on a black long-sleeved shirt. Not even thinking, you lightly put a hand on his back, right between his shoulder blades. He completely froze under your touch. Leaning forward, your forehead met his back. The warmth of his skin instantly soothed you.

“The Force is stronger around you.” You felt his words rumble from his chest.

“Probably from your presence, but I am willing to learn if you still wish to teach me.” Some of his tension relaxed a little.

“I will, but not until we leave here. This place is too dangerous to teach you.” Taking a step back, you let him out on his shirt.

He turned around and cupped your face with both hands. Looking up into his eyes, you were suddenly drawn towards the color of his irises. They were a beautiful combination of colors; browns, greens and a hint of blue. Blinking you rested your forehead against his own, relishing in the contact. His hands went from your face down to your shoulder, making you shiver lightly.

A sudden but loud knock on the door completely ruined the moment you were having. Scowling darkly, you pulled away from the comfort and gave the direction of the front door a dark look. Kylo chuckled at the flash of anger on your face. Holding back a growl, you basically ripped yourself from your husband’s embrace and stalked to the door. The steel door opened to reveal an officer who looked completely terrified at the dark energy that you were currently emitting.

“M-my apologies, my lady, the meeting is going to start in about thirty minutes-s.” Forcing yourself to smile, you nodded your head, and the scared officer scurried away.

Going back into the living quarters, you saw your husband leaning against the wall waiting for you. Pouting, you walked over to him and instantly curled under his chin again. Closing your eyes, you welcomed the scent of the raining woods to assault your nose as you tried to find within yourself the strength to deal with Hux during this meeting.

Kylo gave an amused sigh before lightly pulling you away from him. Pouting playfully, you walked back into the bedroom to grab a light shawl to ward off the chill of the climate control. Meeting your husband at the door, he let you through first before following after you.

Then minutes later, you both were walking into the command center. Your eyes scanned from person to person as you walked behind ren to a small location that was set up for the meeting. Lightly taking his elbow, it was easier to hold onto him, so you could walk around the various equipment and not potentially break or crush anything that was obviously very expensive. Once you were finally seated, you crossed your legs while waiting patiently. Kylo, on the other hand, was sitting stiff and was tapping his knee, showing his obvious disdain. Turning your head to him, your fingers lightly tugged on the side of his cowl, drawing his attention to you.

“If he drones on, can you force choke him?” Your first attempt at actual telepathic communication made the Commander bite off a smirk as he finally relaxed into his chair.

“We’ll see.” He supplied, drawing curious stares from people around you both.

“Pity, it would make for an interesting story and maybe he will learn to shut his damn mouth.” That caused the man to snicker, completely frightening those around you both.

After what felt like hours, Hux’s form finally appeared on the screen. Your skin was prickled with bumps as the chill finally penetrated through your shawl. Shifting your weight, you straightened your spine as the excavation team began to recount their findings. You heard every other word as you watched the body language on everyone around you. Your husband was tense and once again stiff as a rod, his feuding with Hux was very noticeable. The various officers, troopers and specialists were all at attention and some were even shifting in nervousness. Hux, despite the mild grainy picture, was also tense and looked very annoyed. Biting off a smile, you knew that he was grumpy over the fact that the team had found viable resources and he didn’t want to admit that he had been wrong in his assumption that there was nothing of use here.

Putting your elbow against the armrest, you placed your head against your fist as you watched the scene around you. So far, the ore that was being excavated was of excellent quality and was ready to be mined at any notice. On top of that, the old communications tower also had some information regarding more resources around the planet that could be excavated. The encrypted file stick that you had stumbled upon also gave a huge lead into where there were more resources that had yet to be untapped by the Empire, but those could be outdated.

The rest of the meeting was boring but you tuned everything out. With the string of good fortune, Hux had no choice but to accept what was found. Despite the minor bump in the road with the observation room, it looked like your husband’s plan to leave Mustafar and head to the planets he wants you to see where already on the way. You were jerked from your inner musings when a hand on your shoulder made you look to your left. Meeting those beautiful eyes that belonged to a still agitated Kylo, you realized that the meeting was finally over.

It wasn’t long before the pair of you left the Command Center to wherever your husband wanted to go. Smiling to yourself, you easily caught up to him. Lacing your arm through his, you could feel his tension as he was practically vibrating with stress.

“You didn’t force choke him.” You said softly, his shoulders slumped slightly.

“It was close.” Your smile was vibrant, making him scoff. “At least we’ll be away from him once we restock and refuel on the Finalizer.

“Indeed, though, I am surprised you are willing to leave so quickly after what happened here.” Your expression turned thoughtful.

“I am nervous, that much is true, but I do feel something, it might be best if we continued down this role of teaching me.” That stilled the Dark Knight who turned to look at you. “Though we saw my failed attempt yesterday, so I don’t know if I am even able to be taught.”

“That was just one attempt, you might have other skills elsewhere that have yet to be discovered.” He lightly pulled on your arm, making you stumble to keep up with him. “Though your ability to project your thoughts is very well controlled, that means something.”

“Are there other avenues for people like me?” You asked while finally matching his strides.

“There are many, but knowing how to access them is the challenge. Your mental and physical state will demand how long you can endure the training.” His reply piqued your interest.

The two of you were back into the library as there were some personal journals left from Lord Vader that Kylo wanted to read and collect. You were reading about the invasion of a manufacturing planet that Lord Vader had helped to capture. While he didn’t specifically state he was on the battlefield, you read between the lines and you knew that he was there.

Somewhere between books two and three, you had fallen asleep. You were awoken when fingers lightly touched your cheek. Blinking your eyes open, you turned your eyes to your husband who was very amused.

He helped you to your feet and led you to the shared quarters. Sleep was still calling for you, and it was affecting your ability to function correctly. Again, with his help, you were set and ready for bed in record time. You didn’t remember much as your head hit the pillow.

Groaning, you felt your back pop as you shifted your weight. Whimpering softly, the cuts on your knees hummed in pain as you stretched. Today was the last day that was to be on Mustafar mostly due to your husband pulling everyone but the mining team and a few dozen stormtroopers. A soft grunt from behind you made you realize that Kylo too was also waking up.

He was curled against your back, face pressed against your neck and his arm was tightly around your waist. Rolling over, you completely curled under his chin and nuzzled his throat before settling back into the warmth that was around you once more. Kylo gave one more grunt before adjusting himself to cover you as best as he could.

It really was sometime later before you had emerged from the bed but all of the rest and relaxation you had gotten had been nice. Your wounds didn’t hurt as much as you finally rolled out from underneath the covers and walked into the bathroom. After a quick shower, you were dressed in a warm but airy shirt complete with black pants that hugged your waist. Twisting your hair, you easily braided it so that it would fall along your back.

Prancing out of the room, whatever clothing you wore last night was easily place into your packed bags near the front door. Your husband was not present, but you had a feeling he was in the library getting or organizing any materials to be sent to the Finalizer for him to comb through later. Smiling gently, you placed your hands on your waist as you felt an unexpected contentment envelope you.

You had just finished straightening the entirety of the living quarters when your husband finally emerged from wherever he had been. Turning towards him, you noticed he had a stormy look on his face, you placed the dish towel to dry over the neck of the sink, you walked over to him and placed your hand over his heart, it was beating rapidly. At the feel of your touch, his shoulders uncurled from their tense position.

“What happened?” You inquired softly while placing your other hand on his cheek.

“Palpatine was stalking the hallways as left.” Ren gritted out as he forced himself to relax.

“We are leaving, the danger from him will pass, at least slightly.” You said soothingly, as you stroked his cheek.

“I do not like how the force seems to swell when he appears.” He regarded your frown before pulling you into his arms.

“I will be fine.” You offered gently. You heard his heart starting to calm down. The flight back to the Finalizer was quick, but you were vibrating with what seemed like endless energy. Basically, strutting off the ramp, you met Hux who seemed a little surprised at the flush that was on your face and the look of amusement that was on Ren’s. In all honesty, he did not want to know what happened between the two of you, and he did not need any details.

“Supreme Leader said you two will be departing in a few days?” You lightly rested your weight on the backs of your heels.

“Yes, first we make for my home planet, there we will investigate the supposed cache there. We will then depart for Naboo for similar reasons and lastly, we are going to Coruscant to sift through what remains of the old archives.” A sour expression appeared on Hux’s face.

“What are you hoping to see in these locations?” He walked beside you, leaving your husband to trail behind you both grumpy and annoyed.

“Not so much as see, but rather what might be gained. We shouldn’t be terribly long, at most three and a half weeks.” That drew a scowl from the red-headed man. “General, whatever your plans or actions are, they will not be complicated with our absence.” Your tone had a strong sense of finality in it which signaled you were done with the conversation and done with giving your time to the ginger man.

Nodding your head in a show of respect, you left the silently fuming general to his musings to go to your room to unpack. Kylo merely walked around Hux to follow after you, further adding to Hux’s annoyance. Your heels clacked against the floor as you walked to the elevators that were connected to the living quarters. Your husband slid up to you and wrapped his arm around you. Rolling your shoulders, you melded against his side, hoping that you could draw some small sense of calm from him.

By the time the elevator opened, you were ready to fall asleep. Your husband was an amazing heater even with his many layers of clothing. The feeling of being safe aboard the Finalizer, despite the ghostly remnants of Palpatine haunting your thoughts, was helping you relax.

“We will leave in two days to go to your homeworld.” You turned and nodded your head to blink sleepily to Ren who smirked at your drowsy expression.

“I will send a transmission to my father, so he will be aware of our plans.” You barely finished speaking before you felt your jaw crack with a yawn.

Kylo held back a laugh as he escorted you to the chambers. Hux was lucky that your anger tended to slip away with your exhaustion, or he would have been in an awkward situation with one pissed off a royal who had a tendency to sweetly insult people with honey-infused poison words.


End file.
